I figured it out!

[Bisley]

So my woodpile is all nice and neat.

Last year I got about 2 cord of oak, and either ash or maple, for free.
I cut, split and sorted, keeping about 1-1/2 cord of it. The rest was ant-eaten and went out to the curb for the city to pick up with yard waste.

Chainsaw gas, premium: 2 Gallons @ $7.00
Chainsaw tuneup kit: $30.00
Chain hand-sharpening kit $35.00
Small engine repair service (with chain sharpening) $30.00
Repair 8-pound maul (broken handle) and professional chain sharpening $23.00
New bar and chain $43.00 w/tax

Total: $168.00

Sitting on the couch and with sciatic nerve spasms for three days: PRICELESS

Now I know why I like firewood as much as I do handloading: I save money!

 

[Rick]

So my woodpile is all nice and neat.

Last year I got about 2 cord of oak, and either ash or maple, for free.
I cut, split and sorted, keeping about 1-1/2 cord of it. The rest was ant-eaten and went out to the curb for the city to pick up with yard waste.

Chainsaw gas, premium: 2 Gallons @ $7.00
Chainsaw tuneup kit: $30.00
Chain hand-sharpening kit $35.00
Small engine repair service (with chain sharpening) $30.00
Repair 8-pound maul (broken handle) and professional chain sharpening $23.00
New bar and chain $43.00 w/tax

Total: $168.00

Sitting on the couch and with sciatic nerve spasms for three days: PRICELESS

Now I know why I like firewood as much as I do handloading: I save money!

Well . . . The chain should be sharp by now.

 

[StrawHat]

No comment on the $$$ for free wood.

Sciatica is something I am familiar with, unfortunately. I have found that placing a tennis ball under the nerve helps make the pain go away.

Good luck.

Kevin

 

[Bisley]

I'll remember that part about the tennis ball. Should've tried that.

Now I just work until I start to feel stretched, then stop. Gotta pace myself...

 

[JWFilips]

I was taken out by Severe Sciatica about 3 years ago Seriously 2 months with no sleep....walking the house all night ( only thing that stopped the pain!)
Had a great Chiropractor and a great team of his therapy people! ......3 days a week and a crap ton of money!
Never want to go through that again. Actually had to train my left leg to walk again! That took most of 1 year and had to get an automatic transmission car....my manual trans truck was almost impossible to drive for almost 1 year!

 

[Ian]

I continued working as a steering/suspension mechanic at a Dodge/Jeep dealer after herniating L4-L5 on the right side lifting a dually wheel on a cold morning. The spasm prevented me from pulling my right foot forward of the standing position for a full year and a half. Could not tie my shoes and had to drive over an hour to work each way with the seat back flat and pillows stacked so I could see over the dash. Fortunately I had a regular cycle of trainees who could drive for me at work...except one who couldn't drive a manual and was wholly unteachable. The ONLY thing that helped was someone finally telling me to do my stretches BEFORE getting out of bed in the morning. After about a week of that I was able to actually touch my kneecaps again, and then my shins, and finally it let go. Have had bouts of it ever since, but stretching has always gotten me going again. One day it will likely come to needing surgery, but am putting that off as long as I can manage it.

 

[Ole_270]

About 12 to 13 years ago I had an argument with a green broke mule. It ended with me snapped over the pommel of the saddle and me deciding I wanted off. An ambulance ride into town, then another to Wichita and I found out the "laces" holding the pelvis together in front (pubic synthesis) were ripped apart, the pelvis seperated, and most of the muscles from the right leg pulled off the pelvis. Didn't seem long to me but I guess I was in surgery for 6-7 hours for repairs. Got a plate and 6 screws holding the pelvis together and lots of muscle repair. Had to wear a catheter for 3 weeks and use a walker for 6. Wasn't allowed to put more than a pound of weight on that right foot. I was supposed to go back in a few months to put a stabilizing screw in the rear joint. (sciatic?), never have. I've been going to the gym for quite a while using the back extension machine to build up the muscles instead. So far so good.
My wife says I found out who was more stubborn and the mule won. I don't know about that, got out of the hospital on a friday in may, bought a new mule 3 days later and was elk hunting in the mountains on his back in october. Last I heard that mule was pulling a plow over in the amish community.